The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-08-12
THE COUNTRY PARLoR.

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THE COUNTRY PARlOR.
How 1t May he Made Attractive at Com
parativciy rrining Expense.
Furnishing city parlor upon q cer-
tain limited sum makes one feel how
much further the same amount would
go in country house. A cottage or
farmhouse parlor could be made ex-
ceedingiy pretty and more individually
tasteful and characteristic with less
outlay.
In the country we arc SO free to carry
ont our own ideas! and there is GER
tainly charm about things imp-ovjsed
and adapted to suit the immediate ex-
igcncy.
A cultivated Frenchwom an. full Of
resources. both mentally and in ma
terial things. bought as place of rest
little rocky New England farm. upon
which the buildings were old and out
of repair. and the farmhouse q story
and half implanted building of the
plainest description. She bought some
fine Jersey stock and two or three
brood mares and built an excellent
barn in which to house them; for her
self she n,adc use of the little old house.
and this is what she did with it: She
put on rustic porcaes and great rus
tic arbor on the sunny side. with
floor upon which her dining room win
dows were made to open, and here her
table was spread under the shade of
her own grapevine. lin imagination
there was a fig tree also, for she
dreamed of inclosing this support with
glass and raising Black Hamburgs with
figs instead of Concords and black
berries.)
The low-ceiled pnrlor with its rough
walls she renovated at tritling cost.
by covering the entire four sides with
a pretty light chintz. blue on a buff
ground; this was shirred at top and
bottom and a tape run in, like an old
fashioned curtain. 1t was then drawn
up SO as to fall in moderately full
gathers, and tackled at top and bottom
with gilt-headed tacks. She and her
handy maid made it and put it up in
one day, and it cost very little more
than a good wallpaper. The furniture
was all old-''cast OFF, pieces from her
city home. An Administer or Moquette
carpet, blue, dull with age. raveled out
to short fluffy fringe round the edge,
and coming within six inches of the
wall, gave the effect of a priceless rug.
The solid antique furniture, brought
from Paris long ago, has been covered
with very rich blue brocade. This
was now so ragged that madame nearly
covered the sofa and big chairs with
genuine 'tidies;" squares of buff linen
and China silk handkerchicfs. securely
knotted down with blue or yellow silk,
after the fashion of regular uphOlstcr-
ers. The great claw-footed table had
light linen cover, and gave ample room
for pile Of new books, the latest
French newspapers, a large vase or
bowl of azalia or laurel, or whatever
was in fullest bloom in the woods. and
it was nothing unusual to SOC basket
of ncw-laid eggs. pan of peas, or some
other treasure-trove from dairy or gar
den among its adornmcnts. An excel
lent upright piano stood in the most
favorable position. and no one who
heard madane's music or her talk but
found it charming summer parlor.
In furnishing country parlor. where
every thing is to be bought, there is n
variety of light cottage furniture to
choose from, which is extremely at
tractivc. For piazzas and rooms which
have continual use. the Shaker and
common sense chairs are strong, dur
able. clearly and cheap, and little
taste and skin in attaching cushions
will make them entirely comfortable.
In willow and rattan the variety is
great, and the scale of prices will suit
almost every purse. Some of the more
elaborate chairs and settees are hand
some enough for the most elegant villa,
and the simpler and yet equally artistic
shapes are not out Of place in the
plaincst farm house.
An ingenious farmers boy might
easily be tempted to try his own hand
at cabinet making. Fashionable deal
ers have high prices; plain settee of
excellent but simple workmanship was
shown me by friend the other day. 1t
was pointed out as q good specimen of
Queen Anne" workmanship. and cost
$125, but could not help fancying that
a village workman might easily copy it
ut the price of few days labor aud q
few sticks Of maple. Some qaain,
chairs were offered last winter, the
frames made entirely of buffalo Tor ox)
horns. and the seat and back covered |
with a shaggy fur.
Linen monte cloth is one of the pref |
test and most useful materials for |
cushions and covers for a summer par
lor!. 1t takes decoration extremely |
well; either painting or embroidery or |
simple outline work. Common blue or |
russell denim is also excellent
Canton mating Is brought in greater
variety and more attractive eolors and |
patterns than ever before. Nothing |
makes 80 cool and clean and cheap q |
floor covering. The plain olive and
Indian red styles are especially pretty |
IN nicely furnished parlor. OF thin |
fabrics for curtains there is also a Won
derful variety. and many opportunities
for bargains" Nothing can be pref
tier or softer in effect for summer dra-
peries than the lovely Madras muslins
of fhe better qualities. A sunny win
dow may be made a delight in hot
day by masking Il with half trSns-